Evolution of Insulin, Insulin-like Growth Factors, and Their Cognate Receptors in Vertebrates, Invertebrates, and Viruses.

ABSTRACT: The insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system regulates essential biological functions such as growth, metabolism, and development. While its physiological roles are well characterized, the evolutionary origins and molecular diversification of its ligands and receptors remain incompletely defined. Here, we present the most comprehensive phylogenetic and sequence conservation analysis of this system to date, using over 1,000 sequences from vertebrates, invertebrates, and viruses. Our analyses reveal that insulin, IGF-1, and IGF-2 form distinct monophyletic clades that diverged after the emergence of vertebrates, with IGF-1 being the most conserved ligand. We show that IGF1R-binding residues, especially in the A- and B-domains of IGF-1, are highly conserved across vertebrates, whil

SUBMITTER: Chrudinova M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12796670 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature